The invention relates to a method of bagging bruisable discrete articles, and a corresponding system, and two particular component parts thereof. There are numerous commercial structures for the automatic or semi-automatic bagging of bruisable discrete articles, such as apples, and while such commercial structures are generally acceptable, there are a number of limitations and drawbacks associated with them. For instance, most conventional baggers have a bulk and then steady stream (dribble) feed to the weighing mechanism. This often results in an excessive overweight condition. Also, in such commercial structures the weighing is effected dynamically--that is during the continuous feeding, and since the apples drop down into the weighing mechanism, the impact forces can make the weight determination erroneous.
In commercial baggers, the feed from the weighing mechanism to the bagging station also is a bulk feed, which is susceptible to jamming. Also, if the bag is not completely open when apples are fed thereto, the machine operation is interrupted until an operator opens the stuck bag. After the bag is filled, complicated linkages are required for moving the bag to an automatic typing station, and the type of linkage used is dependent upon the particular bag typing machine employed.
According to the present invention, the limitations inherent in the present commercial automatic bagging machines are overcome, and a bagger having much greater accuracy, flexibility, and reliability is provided. According to one aspect of the method according to the present invention, the apples are fed single file to a weighing mechanism, and the feed is terminated just short of the predetermined desired weight of our apples. The weighing mechanism is then allowed to reach equilibrium and the weight of apples is compared to the predetermined desired weight. If the weight is less than the predetermined desired weight, another single apple is fed to the weighing mechanism, the weighing mechanism is again allowed to reach equilibrium, and the weight comparison made. This single feed of apples and weight comparison is continued until the predetermined weight is reached or exceeded, and then the weighing mechanism pan is emptied. In this way, the weight of apples to be bagged will be accurate within the weight range of one apple. The weighing pan employed has a contour that provides a channel for the apples without creating a bottleneck at which the apples can bridge, and the action during emptying of the pan results in a positive feed of all of the apples onto a transporting mechanism for feeding to the automatic bagging station.
The apples are deposited on soft rotating brushes from the weighing pan, and the apples are electronically scanned and the space between apples is measured. This allows sensing of when the last apple has been fed (the bag full condition), and also if the space between the apples is too small a jam condition is indicated, further dumping of the weighing pan or operation of the bag tying mechanism being prevented until the jam is released. The single file feeding of the apples by the soft rotating brushes results in few jams.
If a bag being held to receive apples is not open, the bag clamping mechanisms will automatically recycle until the bag is properly grasped, and feed of apples to the bag is prevented until the bag is in an open condition. Once the bag is filled, it is gripped on only one side thereof and lifted into engagement with the bag tying machine. This eliminates the need for complicated linkages, effects a shift in the position of the bag which causes the apples to settle (contributing to a more uniformly packed bag), and provides flexibility so that a number of different conventional bag tying machines may be utilized. Flexibility is also provided according to the invention since the weighing mechanism and feed therefor may be oriented at any angle with respect to the feed for the bagging station, and operation will still be smooth.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system for automatically bagging bruisable discrete articles. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.